Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour

By: Giselle Perez

Earlier this year, music legend Elton John announced his plans to undergo his final tour before retiring in order to spend more time raising his children. The 71-year-old’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour will span more than three years before concluding in 2021 after visiting 300 cities around the globe. Just this past Saturday, November 24, he performed in an extraordinary show right here in Miami at the American Airlines Arena; it was a production audience members will not forget any time soon.

From the very start of the concert, fans were captivated as the lights dimmed to reveal Elton John and his opening number. Donned in a sparkling suit and playing the piano, he was in no need of any auto-tune as he sung some of his most iconic songs – most of which were accompanied by a music video rendered on a big screen behind him. Some of these songs included: “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”, “Rocket Man”, “Daniel”, “Candle in the Wind”, “Tiny Dancer”, “I’m Still Standing”, and “Your Song”. Between certain numbers, he would give a short introduction to the story behind how these classics were written. He explained to the audience how his long-time collaborator, Bernie Taupin, would produce a lyric or two, and how he would then complete them himself based off of what emotion they conveyed in him. With “Daniel”, for example, he said Taupin had composed the original text for the song too long and intricate for his liking, so he decided to edit out its final lines – only to realize much later that the lyrics he got rid of explained the song’s entire meaning.

Apart from the lighthearted anecdotes, Elton John also shared some personal hardships he encountered throughout his 50-year life on the road; he spoke of his crippling drug addiction and about the times he was close to death because of it. He also talked about his support for the HIV/AIDS community and how he has faith that the diseases will be eradicated in his lifetime; he urged his fans to take part in awareness events for them and to donate to his AIDS Foundation if they had the opportunity to. After his speech, he brightened up the mood by giving an incredibly catchy execution of “I’m Still Standing”, which had audience members all over the arena standing along with it, dancing and singing as his band gave an equally mesmerizing performance. The entire two-and-a-half hours of Elton John’s concert were truly monumental, and its ending paragon, as he mounted a platform that lifted him up toward the sky, where he parted the stage through an opening in the massive display where the breathtaking videos and scenery had once been shown – all while singing the tour’s very eponym: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”.

Want to know which cities Elton John will be visiting during his farewell tour?